By Craig Giammona
Henri Fougere, 27, of 90-36 198th St., entered a guilty plea last Thursday to a charge of possessing a sexual performance by a child less than 16 years old on his computer and will likely be sentenced to six months in jail and 10 years probation when he is sentenced in February, Brown said.Fougere, who works as a computer programmer for a firm in Edison, N.J., was initially arrested in October 2005. Brown said Fougere will probably have to register as a sex offender as a result of his guilty plea.Brown said Fougere's apprehension was the result of an “ongoing law enforcement surveillance initiative designed to protect children who are underage and vulnerable to sexual predators who troll the Internet looking for victims.”Queens Criminal Court Judge Gene Lopez was scheduled to sentence Fougere Feb. 6, Brown said.According to Brown, Fougere was arrested in Manhattan in October 2005 after engaging in a series of communications with undercover police officers posing online as underage girls. Police eventually obtained a search warrant that was executed at Fougere's Jamaica home. During the search, Brown said at least 10 images, including video clips of children under the age of 16 engaging in sexual acts, were found on his computer. The investigation led to charges against Fougere in Queens and Manhattan.Brown said Fougere pleaded guilty to a charge of child pornography possession in the Manhattan case on Dec. 21 and was slated to be sentenced by Acting State Supreme Court Justice Daniel Fitzgerald Feb. 15, a week after he learns his fate in the Queens case.Brown said Fougere will likely receive a six-month sentence, with 10 years of probation in the Manhattan case.Reach reporter Craig Giammona by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
